Graduates of the University of South Florida can remember when just the mention of starting a football team was met with absolute, forehead-slapping consternation.

You would have a better chance of finding Tampa shoppers for winter coats in July than finding someone to shell out money for a start-up football program.

After all, Gainesville was only two hours away. Tallahassee and Miami were simple road trips.

And what’s wrong with sitting on the couch on a Saturday afternoon, an arm’s distance from a frosty beverage, and dialing in on the best national game of the day?

For free.

Who would go watch South Florida football?

Georgia Southern fans answered a similar line of questioning when the school had an analysis done four years ago for football reclassification.

The Eagles already had a successful football program with six Football Championship Subdivision national championships, but were considering a move up to the FBS. Is this what you want?

When the report came back from Rosser International, Inc., McGee-Geiger and CSL International, moving up didn’t seem like a good option for a football team that makes its living with the option.

The feasibility study surveyed boosters, non-donor football ticket buyers, alumni, faculty/staff and students. The study concluded none of the groups had a majority believing “the local community would have the sufficient resources to financially support a move to the FBS, and it appeared most constituent groups are somewhat concerned with the ability of the football program to effectively compete at the FBS level.”

Four years later, at least 2½ of those years trying to survive a recession, welcome to the Sun Belt Conference, Georgia Southern.

Facilities still need upgrading. An additional 22 scholarships for football must be matched with 22 for women’s sports to be in compliance of Title IX — a federal law that calls for equal opportunities in education.

Coaching salaries must be raised and support staffs beefed up to be competitive with other FBS schools.

The survey estimated the athletic budget would have to be increased by 40 percent, and even then would be one of the smaller budgets in the FBS.

Is the move up from the top rung of the FCS — the Southern Conference — worth the cost of the move to the bottom rung of the FBS?

The FCS playoffs may not be nationally recognized, but the New Orleans Bowl — the Sun Belt winner’s automatic bid — is?

Quick, who played in the New Orleans Bowl last season?

Exactly my point.

So what’s the bottom line? Realignment is far from over in college football. The Sun Belt Conferences of the FBS will probably get shut out (or get a very small portion) of the upcoming mega playoff contract.

At Wednesday’s press conference to announce GSU’s move, someone asked athletics director Tom Kleinlein where he hoped to see the Eagles athletic program in 10 years.

Playing for Sun Belt championships, Kleinlein said.

Four schools left the Sun Belt Conference this year. What does that tell you?

Think bigger

Georgia Southern’s football dream can’t stop at being competitive in the Sun Belt. In five years, the Eagles probably hope to be contemplating their next move — to a bigger and better conference.

No doubt, money will be an issue again, but when is money not an issue. If GSU doesn’t have plans for the next step, it probably shouldn’t have taken this first step into the FBS. The Sun Belt is where you should start your dreams, not end them.

No one would have bought University of South Florida’s leap into college football in 1997.

Ten years later, the Bulls were playing in Raymond James Stadium and ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Two years later, South Florida beat Florida State.

Statesboro won’t be confused with Tampa any time soon, but the Eagles have a lot more initial optimism on their side.

Georgia Southern could experience the same fate as the Bulls in a couple of years, playing the in-state powers competitively. ...

Or the Eagles might have a little more trouble than they ever figured with Louisiana-Lafayette.

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How many more articles are going to be written about this topic? They moved up, it happened, get over it. The students voted by an overwhelming majority to increase athletic budget to fund the scholarships, stadium expansion, and coach salary increase for FBS.

No one is expecting GSU to dominate their 1st year in 2014. Its a given that it will be an uphill battle for a few years until better recruits come along.

GSU has gotten more press these last 2 weeks than they have all year. The more people hear about a school the more interest potential students have. The move is just as much about academics as it is athletics.